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This is a simple activity designed to help students visualize the interaction of atomic orbitals to form molecular orbitals. Students construct atomic orbitals out of Play-Doh and determine whether overlap of a given pairs of atomic orbitals along the specified axis can result in a σ, π, or δ interaction or no net interaction. I do this activity following a reading assignment and lecture on the formation of molecular orbitals from atomic orbitals that cover the various types of interactions. Students then work in groups of 3-4 to complete the instructions described on the attached worksheet.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Play-Doh Molecular Orbitals LO.docx | 19.22 KB |
After competing this activity, students should be able to:
- Construct s, p, and d atomic orbitals and orient the orbitals within a coordinate system
- Determine whether the symmetry of two interacting orbitals leads to a σ, π, or δ interaction or no net interaction when the orbitals approach along a given axis
- Describe bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals
At least two different colors of Play-Doh
I do this activity following a reading assignment and lecture on the formation of molecular orbitals from atomic orbitals that cover the various types of interactions. Students then work in groups of 3-4 to complete the instructions described on the attached worksheet. To save time, students can be assigned only 3-4 sets of interactions. I did this LO in an inorganic chemistry class comprised of mostly senior and fifth-year students because several students the previous year had trouble visualizing these types of orbital interactions. However, I think this activity would also work well in a general chemistry class.
Evaluation
Students were evaluated via three similar questions on an exam given two weeks later. Three similar questions were also asked on an exam the previous year, when this topic was covered in lecture and homework but students did not do the modeling activity.
The year that students did this LO, they exam score on the three similar questions averaged 90%. The previous year when students did not do this LO, the exam score on the three similar questions averaged 67%.
such a simple idea I can't believe I haven't seen something like this before. My daughter recently got interested in polymer clay so if you wanted to make your own more permanent d orbital models, you could use that...
here is a link to polymer clay. Some cool chemistry there for someone to make an LO about... even if it is organic (PVC polymerization)